Redistricting Los Angeles County 2011

Board of Supervisors Public Hearings on Redistricting Plans

UPDATE (September 27, 2011): At the second public hearing, the Board of Supervisors heard several hours of public testimony, deliberated on plans T1, S2 and A3 Amended, and then voted on each plan. Plans T1 and S2 both failed on votes of two in favor, three opposed. Plan A3 Amended failed by a vote of three in favor, two opposed. (At least four votes in favor are required to adopt a plan.) Plan A3 Amended was reconsidered and amended to correct minor boundary anomalies (click here to see the County Counsel Staff Report on A3 Amended for a list of the anomalies, under Staff Recommendation). Plan A3 Amended, with the additional amendments, was adopted by a vote of four in favor to one opposed.

UPDATE (September 7, 2011): On September 6, 2011, proposed redistricting plans T1, S2 and A3 Amended were considered at the first public hearing before the Board of Supervisors. Following public testimony, the Board closed the first public hearing and scheduled the three plans to be considered at a second public hearing on September 27, 2011, at which the Board may vote to adopt one of the plans (a minimum of four votes is required for adoption). Board action to adopt a redistricting plan must occur no later than the end of September in order for the corresponding boundary ordinance to be effective by the statutory deadline of October 31, 2011.

UPDATE (August 16, 2011): Three plans have been submitted by members of the Board of Supervisors for consideration at the September 6, 2011 public hearing. These plans are as follows:

UPDATE (August 11, 2011): The first Public Hearing by the Board of Supervisors (August 9, 2011) has been continued to Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room. CLICK HERE to see Supervisor Knabe’s proposed plan (A3) introduced at the August 9, 2011 Public Hearing.

At the August 9 Public Hearing, the Board of Supervisors took public comment and initiated discussion of the Boundary Review Committee’s (BRC’s) Recommended Plan and related issues. CLICK HERE for a copy of the BRC Letter, Report and Proposed Ordinance. CLICK HERE to see the BRC’s Recommended Plan.

Introduction

WHAT IS REDISTRICTING?

Every ten years, the United States attempts to count every person in the country through a process called the Decennial Census. It is mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The latest Census was conducted on April 1, 2010, and provides a snapshot of how many people there are and where they live.

Once we know how many people there are and where they live in the County of Los Angeles, the population must be divided as evenly as possible into five supervisorial districts for the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors. Adjusting the boundaries is called “redistricting.”

WHY DO THE BOUNDARIES NEED TO BE ADJUSTED?

Per California Election Code Section 21500, et seq., the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is required to adjust the boundaries of any or all of the supervisorial districts following each decennial federal census to ensure fair representation. Adjustments to the boundaries are made to ensure that districts are made to be “as nearly equal in population as may be.”

Proposed redistricting plans must also be in accordance with the requirements of the Los Angeles County Charter, including Article II, Section 4, which provides that the County of Los Angeles shall have a Board of Supervisors consisting of five members, each of whom must be an elector of the district which she/he represents, and must reside therein during their incumbency.

In addition, proposed redistricting plans must comply with requirements of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution and with the mandate of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, 42 USC § 1973, et seq., to assure fair and effective representation for racial and language-minority groups.

HOW WILL REDISTRICTING BE COMPLETED?

The Board of Supervisors has appointed a Boundary Review Committee (BRC) to study proposed changes to the boundaries. The BRC is an advisory body to the Board of Supervisors and will be responsible for preparing a detailed and comprehensive report with recommended boundary changes. Click here for more information on the Boundary Review Committee.

HOW CAN THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATE IN REDISTRICTING?

The Board of Supervisors has also approved a Public Access Plan to promote public participation in the redistricting process and ensure the widest practicable participation and dissemination of pertinent redistricting information. Click here for more information on the Public Access Plan.

Individuals and/or community groups are encouraged to participate in the redistricting process. Meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes will be updated on a regular basis on this website and will be publicized in media press releases.

A free web-based mapping program is available on this website for use by the public to prepare and submit redistricting plans for consideration. For more details and information on how to submit proposed plans, please click here.

WHEN WILL THE PROCESS BEGIN AND END?

The County expects to receive Census data in late March 2011 (but by no later than April 1, 2011), at which time the Boundary Review Committee will implement the major components of the Board of Supervisors’ adopted Public Access Plan.

The Board of Supervisors must adopt a redistricting plan by October 31, 2011, per California Elections Code Section 21501, however, the Board is expected to adopt a redistricting plan in August 2011. Prior to adoption, the Board is required to hold at least one public hearing on any proposal to adjust the boundary of a district, prior to the public hearing at which the Board votes to approve or defeat the proposal.

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